STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A former Staten Islander who penned a memoir on suffering with bi-polar disorder has sued controversial radio host Sid Rosenberg for $20 million, alleging Rosenberg took his cash, then failed to deliver on a promise to get him on Geraldo Rivera's radio show to promote the book.

Joseph DeBlasi paid Rosenberg $5,000 to arrange his appearance on Rivera's weekday WABC/77AM show so DeBlasi could plug his self-published book, "Polarized: Sex, Lies and Family Betrayal," alleges a civil complaint filed in Manhattan state Supreme Court.

Instead, Rosenberg pocketed the cash, and mentioned the book in two separate radio programs on WFAN/660AM, the complaint alleges.

On another occasion, Rosenberg, who currently co-hosts "The Bernie and Sid Show" and is a regular on "Imus in the Morning" on WABC/77AM, interviewed DeBlasi when DeBlasi called into another show Rosenberg was co-hosting, alleges the complaint.

However, Rosenberg never got DeBlasi on Rivera's show, despite saying he had lined DeBlasi up for Aug. 13, 2014, the complaint contends.

DeBlasi, 49, a former Todt Hill resident who currently lives in Suffolk County, said he spread the word to family, friends and his treating doctor of his anticipated appearance with Rivera.

However, on Aug. 5, 2014, Rosenberg demurred and said he was still trying to work out details with Rivera's producer, said the complaint.

Nothing ever materialized, and DeBlasi was "devastated" when he had to tell everyone he wouldn't be on the show.

"Within days ... he was suicidal and submitted to the care of Dr. (Ronald) Fieve for severe depression," alleges the complaint. "It would take a few months for Joe to emerge from depression."

Afterward, Rosenberg told DeBlasi he was still trying to get him on Rivera's show, but, once again, didn't come through, the suit alleges.

In mid-December, Rosenberg was told accepting payment from DeBlasi to appear on Rivera's show and the plugs he made on WFAN "violated FCC Sponsorship Rules, possibly subjecting both Joe and Sid to Department of Justice penalties including a $10,000 fine and a year in prison," alleges the complaint.

Rosenberg told DeBlasi to "just say he had been given the $5,000 back," the complaint said.

Under the statute, broadcasting stations, if paid to broadcast content, must identify that party during the transmission.

DeBlasi said he informed CBS Radio, which owns WFAN, of what transpired with Rosenberg.

The station's general counsel told him "he did not think a crime had been committed," said the complaint, which further alleges Rosenberg was dumped from WFAN's schedule the next day.

DeBlasi has also sued WFAN Radio for fraud and breach of contract, alleging the company failed to monitor Rosenberg's broadcasts despite "knowing his history of engaging in Plugola."

The plaintiff was referring to a practice in the 1950s where radio stations and disc jockeys accepted payments to play certain records.

"This lawsuit will show that only Sid Rosenberg could bastardize a legitimate business deal into a fraud on Joseph DeBlasi, WFAN, the public, and leave a paper trail as long as Ho Chi Minh," said Kevin DeBlasi, Joseph DeBlasi's lawyer and his brother.